Progress report: things are getting interesting out here on the farm. The shirts and the competitors were pushed to the max today when we ran into a few problems (or “opportunities to excel” if you prefer the phrase). First, one combine harvester ran into a wet patch of grain, which plugged up the machine’s internal mechanics. Unplugging the machine is not a fun job – let’s just say all involved got pretty sweaty. Next, another combine ran over a large rock which happened to lodge in the intake reel so tightly that it had to be removed with a sledgehammer. (Tempers were high by this stage – I had to snap a picture of the rock from inside the cab of my moving combine so as not to stir the pot.) Third, the air conditioning went out on one of the combines for the last half of the day. SWEAT CITY! The poor driver of that combine really should get some bonus points. And finally, one other thing went wrong which I have no energy left to describe. It was also a sweaty job to fix.Our beleaguered, sweat-soaked team is hanging in there, and marveling at how no one stinks yet.
And we’re down one more competitor – the youngest participant in the Harvest Challenge claimed that her Icebreaker was giving her a “farmer’s tan”, and opted to change into a swimsuit top for better tanning purposes. Normally Icebreaker merino’s UV protection is a plus – but apparently not for tan-conscious teens. The Harvest Challenge is really separating the wheat from the chaff, if you catch my drift.
Five hardy and determined competitors remain (pictured), and we’ve all logged a similar amount of hours. May the best harvester win.
- Allison Jochim, Icebreaker Graphic Designer
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